Anxiety
by MyFaction
Summary: Chloe struggles with anxiety before auditioning for Miss National Soloist and Daniel helps her through it.
1. Chapter 1: Believe

**Chloe POV:  
><strong>"Ok, so who wants to put their name down for Miss National Soloist?" Kate asks looking around. Nobody says anything. "Nobody?" Kate says shocked.  
>Still no response, which is surprising because Michelle won Miss National Soloist once, although it's understandable that she wants to do her duet with Eldon-even though he's not too enthusiastic for some unknown reason.<br>"Alright," Kate continues, "If anybody changes their mind, come and see me ok."  
>A part of me wants to sign up, but there is no way that I can find the confidence within me. Plus it's a lot of pressure. Pressure that I don't need.<br>_

After dance Giselle and I head down to Culture Shock to hang out. When Giselle is ordering our drinks I feel a tugging at the hem of my T-shirt. I turn around to see Margie standing there, I jump.  
>"What are you doing here by yourself?" I ask her.<br>"I'm not alone." She says confidently. "My Mum's here somewhere."  
>I breathe a sigh of relief.<br>"I heard that Kate needs someone to do the girls solo at nationals." She says.  
>"She does." I confirm. "Are you going to do it?" I say, jokingly.<br>"No Silly!" Margie says, playfully slapping my arm. "I think that you should do it."  
>"What? No I can't do it. I'm not good enough, I can't audition." I say gobsmacked.<br>"You're my dance teacher and a _really_ good dancer. You just need to believe in yourself." Margie insists. "You never know until you try."


	2. Chapter 2: Competitor

**Chloe POV:**  
>After Giselle and I have said good bye I walk back to The Next Step studio to see Kate. I walk to her office and see her talking to Michelle. I'm about to walk away before I make a huge mistake, but Kate spots me.<br>"Chloe, can I help you?" Kate asks.  
>"Ah, no, I-actually yes." I say hesitantly. "I think I want to-I would like to audition for Miss National Soloist."<br>Kate's eyes light up. "Chloe that's great!" Kate gasps. "But, you'll have some competition though." She says looking at Michelle.  
>"I'm not going to go easy on you, you know?" Michelle says playfully.<br>"Well, neither am I." I laugh.  
>Both Michelle and I walk out of Kate's office with our arms wrapped around each other's shoulders.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3: Second thoughts

**Chloe POV:**  
>I stay at the studio after hours so I can chorography my audition piece. I'm starting to feel even more nervous about auditioning because Michelle is a much better dancer than me.<br>I continue to practice in Studio B when Daniel walks in.  
>"Hey," He says, "I thought you went home."<br>"No, I'm choreographing my audition piece."  
>"You're auditioning!" Daniel exclaims. "Wow Chlo, that's amazing!"<br>"Yeah, well I...I'm kind of having second thoughts about it though." I say, feeling completely comfortable opening up to Daniel.  
>"What do you mean?" Daniel asks confused.<br>"I don't think I'm good enough. I mean what was I thinking competing against Michelle anyway, she's won Miss National Soloist before-she's one of the best dancers in the studio. Plus it's just going to look like I have a massive ego being the girl that never showed up to dance going up against the dance captain, I'm just going to make a fool out of myself!" I rant.  
>"Chloe, Chloe, Chloe." Daniel says slowly while shaking his head. "You're the only one who is thinking like that. It's so cool that you're competing against Michelle, and her being the dance captain and Miss National Soloist has absolutely nothing to do with it."<br>"And what if my dance isn't good enough?"  
>"So what, at least you would have tried." He says. "Do want me to see it then?"<br>"Kay... don't laugh or anything." I warn him, but I still smile.  
>I start the music, I feel slightly scared that Daniel might not like it. But another part of me is excited to dance just in front of Daniel.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4: You've got this

**Chloe POV:**  
>I'm freaking out. It's five minutes until Michelle and I have to audition for our solos.<br>"What have I gotten myself into?" I think aloud.  
>I'm standing outside Studio A trying to collect myself when the door to the studio opens and Daniel walks out.<br>"There you are. What are you doing out here?" He asks.  
>"Hiding." I reply nervously.<br>"Why are you so scared?" He asks almost sympathetically.  
>I shrug. "There's just so many things that could go wrong." I say, tilting my head up to the ceiling to avoid making eye contact with Daniel.<br>"Chloe look at me for a sec." He says. I blush and then look at him, Daniel steps closer to me. "What's the reason why you are doing this?"  
>"Because Margie said that I just need to believe in myself and that I'll never know until I try."<br>Daniel lets out a little laugh. "So you're telling me that a five year old said that to you and you're not going to believe it?" He smiles and I feel a smile stretch across my face too.

"Alright! Gather round!" Kate announces from inside the studio.  
>I feel a rush of adrenaline run through my veins.<br>"Come on bring it in." Daniel says as he opens his arms. When we embrace he says, "You've got this. Now go out there and floor it."


	5. Chapter 5: Audition

**Chloe POV:**  
>"Ok, Chloe you're up first." Kate says, looking directly at me.<br>I step forward with butterflies in my stomach. I can feel everybody's eyes on me. My legs are shaking and my palms are sweating like crazy. I shake before I get into my starting position, hoping that it will release some of my nerves. I can hear A-Troupe clapping for me, cheering me on, but that only boosts my confidence a little bit.

The music starts and feel another wave of adrenaline rush through me. As I begin to move my chorography comes naturally to me and with every movement my anxiety washes away. As my dance continues I feel my body expression get bigger and bigger until it's at its full extent. My anxiety is changed to confidence, excitement and drive. I begin to smile as I realise those feelings are why I love to dance. While my dance continues I feel my smile stretch even wider and I almost squeak out of excitement as the music builds up. I look at A-Troupe's reflection in the mirror, they all clap and grove to the music as I dance. I look at Daniels reflection he look ecstatic and our eyes catch each other's in the mirror. And when the music fades out I almost feel sad that it's over.

I walk back into the bunch of A-Troupers and receive claps on my back, a few high five and a lot of really nice comments. Michelle runs up to me and leaps on to me in an embrace.  
>"That was <em>amazing<em>!" She says happily.  
>"Thank you!" I reply with a massive smile plastered on my face.<br>"Yeah!" Michelle insists. "I'm actually a little scared now."  
>We laugh together.<p>

Michelle's dance is amazing and it totally reflects why she was Miss National Soloist in the first place. Everybody is enjoying her routine, she has put her best tricks in and if she is nervous nobody notices.


	6. Chapter 6: Daniel

**A/N:** I am very sorry to say that this entry is the end of this story as Chloe has overcome her anxiety issues. I am very sad that this story has come to an end as it is very personal to me as I suffer from anxiety issues myself.

**Chloe POV:  
><strong>"Can I just start by staying that both of the duets that we saw today were phenomenal. Chloe that was the best I have ever seen you dance." Kate says looking at me and the rest of A-Troupe starts to clap. "And Michelle your choreography was fabulous and you presented yourself perfectly. You both deserve to be Miss National Soloist." A-Troupe erupts in cheers again. "But sadly we can only have one winner and that _is_...drum roll please!" Kate says enthusiastically.  
>We either pat our legs or stamp our feet on the ground to make as much noise as possible.<br>"Michelle!" Kate announces gesturing in her direction.  
>"Oh my..." She gasps cupping her hands over her face, due to excitement.<br>We all cheer for her and she comes over to me and gives me a big hug.  
>"Congratulations!" I say feeling completely happy for her.<br>"Thank you!" She says breathlessly. "You did so well though."  
>"Thanks." I say as she walks off to talk to Kate in her office.<p>

A lot of the excitement dies down after Michelle and Kate have left.  
>I'm about to walk over to Daniel who is talking with Giselle, Amanda and Thalia, but Riley and James come over to me.<br>"Yo Chloe, you did brilliantly." James says to me.  
>"Your dance was so cool, I loved the bit when you did your aerial into the splits." Riley says smiling as she gives me a hug before walking off with James to talk to West and Eldon.<br>I see Daniel standing all alone now so I walk over to him.  
>"Second the best." He says embracing me. I laugh at his unique sense of logic.<br>Daniel leans in closer and whispers in my ear. "For the record, I think your dance was better than Michelle's." Then he leans back again with a smile.  
>"You did?" I say, our eyes meeting.<br>"Yeah, yeah...I really did." Daniel says slowly as if he's in a trance.  
>I continue to look at him as an airy feeling sweeps over us. All of a sudden Daniel leans forward and kisses me. I close my eyes in pure bliss. I can feel his nose on my and his arms still wrapped delicately around my waist. I as we kiss A-Troupe grows quiet despite a few wolf whistles from the boys-most likely James, Hunter and West. When I open my eyes I see that Kate and Michelle have returned and Phoebe has entered the room as well. The majority of the studio is steering at us gobsmacked with their mouths wide open. I feel heat rushing to my cheeks and then after a few more seconds of an awkward silence Studio A explodes into cheers. Daniel and I both smile, still wrapped in each other's arms. I burry my face in his shoulder, unable to believe what just happened. My first kiss. <p>


End file.
